Axarquia 27 April – 3 May 2023 Issue 1973

NOT GUILTY

THE mayor of Nerja, José Al‐berto Armijo, has been ac‐quitted in the case of the Rio de La Miel dump.

Since 2017, he has been adamant in declaring that as far as his political behaviour, as well as that of other pub‐lic officials, and businesses could “in no way be consid‐ered criminal conduct, and therefore there would be no criminal reproach, as it was demonstrated that at no time was there contamina‐tion or risk of serious danger to the environment.”

He is delighted with this ruling and following the de‐cision said that the council’s intention “was always to re‐store the quarry abandoned by the socialist Junta de An‐dalucia, which allowed the operator to leave without restoring it.”

It was always his con ‐tention that the Consistory complied with the contents

of the Provincial Director Plan for Construction Waste of the Malaga Provincial Council of 2001, which rec‐ommended that said con‐struction materials be taken to quarries without cleaning.

In addition, he was confi‐dent that the regulations of

MORE than €2 million has been granted by the Spanish government to support beekeeping in Andalucia and some of that has found its way to Axarquia.

The plight of the bee, attacked by foreign invaders as well as pesticide is well recorded and the impor ‐tance of this hard ‐ working insect cannot be undervalued both from an economic and environmental point of view.

The number of beekeepers across the whole of Andalucia is not enor‐mous with around 4,200 commer ‐cial farms, but manages to con ‐tribute around €33 million each year to the economy.

The Axarquia white town of Col ‐menar boasts a fine Honey Muse ‐um which is recognised as being of great importance in the world of bees and apiculture.

It is the home of the Malagueña Association of Beekeepers which was responsible for the museum’s creation and it houses large ‐ scale

the Natural Park of Sierras de Tejeda, Almijara and Al‐hama allowed dumps as long as there was a transfer plant or controlled landfill in the Axarquia, which did not happen until April 2015.

Regarding the current state of the quarry, the may‐

or commented that “fortu‐nately with the collabora‐tion of the Junta de Andalu‐cia of President Juanma Moreno, this land has been environmentally nor ‐malised, and has been sealed and duly reforested, to everyone’s satisfaction.”

Bee aware

THE Chapel Bar in Nerja hosted a spectacular St George’s Day Fun Day on Sunday, April 23, which was attended by a large number of British Legion members and supporters.

The event was a great success, with attendees enjoying a fantastic af ‐ternoon filled with en ‐tertainment, sunshine and laughter.

One of the highlights of the day was the tombola stall, which raised an impressive to ‐tal of €320 thanks to generous donations. Lucky winners walked away with some amaz ‐ing gifts, and the rest of the attendees were proud to donate to a worthy cause.

Adding to the excite ‐ment was the magician who kept the audience

entertained with his mind ‐ blowing magic tricks. He went from table to table, perform ‐ing incredible illusions, leaving guests spell ‐bound.

Dorothy Allen, the Poppy Appeal Organiser in Nerja, expressed her appreciation for every ‐one who attended and contributed to the event.

She was delighted with the turnout and the funds raised, which will go towards support‐ing veterans from the armed forces and their families.

The Poppy Appeal is an international fund that helps raise money for the British Legion, a charity that supports veterans, serving per ‐sonnel and their fami ‐lies.

hives, with information panels on honey production and the bee cy ‐cle.

There are now demands from the Association that the importance of beekeeping is so high that they

should be granted a 100 per cent reduction in personal income tax in order to try to ensure that even during this difficult time of drought in Axarquia that they continue to tend their hives.

The delighted mayor José Alberto Armijo.

Photo credit: University of Cordoba.webp

GREAT IMPORTANCE: Beekeepers often descend on Colmenar.

Credit: UMA General Foundation Twitter

Nerja residents were dressed for the occasion!

Photo credit: Dorothy Allen (via email)

RENOWNED French media outlets, Deuzio, Sudpress, and Femmes D’au ‐jorud’hui, took a trip to Nerja on Monday, April 24 as part of a press trip or ‐ganised by the local De ‐partment for Tourism in collaboration with regional tourism authorities.

The aim of the trip was to showcase the town’s most iconic tourist spots to specialised media outlets who will publicise destina‐tions to their readers.

The councillor for Tourism, Gema García, warmly welcomed the me‐dia representatives to Ner‐ja, where they explored the town, and took a visit to the Tourism Informa ‐

Bonjour Nerja

Anger in Almuñecar

tion Office with a local guide, where they learned about the wide range of tourism attractions and ex‐periences available in Ner‐ja and Maro.

RESIDENTS and visitors in Frigiliana are set to receive a new leisure space from which they can enjoy the town’s stunning scenery.

The council announced their acquisition of a new plot of land spanning 7,800 square metres in the Montecillo Ariza area on Tuesday, April 25. The purpose of this project is to create a new recreational space in the town.

Located to the north of Frigiliana, outside the residential area, the new space is easily accessi‐

García expressed her de‐light with the French mar‐ket saying, “The French tourist market showed ex‐cellent performance dur‐ing the past summer sea‐son.” She added that “French tourists are impor‐tant to us, and press trips like this help us promote Nerja as a high‐quality des‐tination in France, and also build loyalty with our French visitors.”

Nerja’s breathtaking scenery, stunning beaches, and rich cultural heritage have long made it a popu‐lar tourist spot.

New plot

ble via the MA‐5105.

The council plans to use this area for a vari‐ety of purposes, including romería traditional religious processions, a nature centre, and parking spaces. The new recreational space will also serve as a scenic spot for tourists to visit.

ALMUÑECAR has asked the Spanish government to spend money on breakwa‐ters on the Cotobro beach rather than throwing mon‐ey at sand regeneration from the Rio Verde bed.

Mayor, Ruiz Joya, has also demanded that the break‐water of the water park and the breakwater of Fuentepiedra and Pena Par‐da be repaired.

The mayor confirmed: “The sand on Cotobro Beach is carried away by storms from the west and east and will continue to do so if the breakwaters are not built.”

Ruiz Joya explained: “If

there were a storm tomor‐row, all the work that is be‐ing done today with sand regeneration and all the money that is being invest‐ed today would be lost.

“The Spanish government should stop patching things up and throwing taxpayers’ money in the trash and once and for all do what

The residents of Frigiliana can look forward to a beautiful and spacious recreational area that will serve as a hub for various events and activities. With this new plot of land, the council says it has shown its dedication to local resi‐dents and taken another step towards provid‐ing a better quality of life in the town.

they have to do which is to rebuild the park’s breakwa‐ter aquatic, and breakwa‐ters in Cotobro and Pena Parda.

“It is unthinkable, in a tourist municipality like Al‐muñecar, at the end of April, we are throwing land on the beach that is going to be absolutely useless.”

The new land boasts panoramic mountain views.

BREAKWATERS: Repairs are urgently needed.

Image: Almunecar Town Council

Photo credit: Frigiliana (via Facebook)

Trip was to showcase the town’s most iconic tourist spots.

Image: Almunecar Town Council

Dance day

NERJA’S Municipal Dance School will join forces with the Fernando Hurtado dance school to hold a one‐of ‐ a ‐ kind public perfor ‐mance on Friday, April 28 to mark the International Dance Day. Performances will be held at 12pm at the Balcón de Europa.

Feline friends

AAR Local Neutering cat care charity are set to hold a pre ‐ loved bag stall at Trapiche Market on Tues‐day, May 2. Bags can be do‐nated to the charity’s shop in Torre del Mar or arranged with Liz by calling: 657 293 663.

Seeking singers

CORAXALIA international choir have just entered their spring term and continue to welcome new members with open arms.The group rehearse on Thursdays in the Casa Hermandad de la Cofradía de los Estudiantes, Velez‐Malaga from 5.30pm until 8pm.

Budget boost

AUTHORITIES in Rincon de La Victoria’s Town Hall fi‐nalised the town’s budget for 2022 during a meeting on Thursday, April 20. The bud‐get totals more than €50 mil‐lion and will be used for so‐cial services, education and the Baluma Park project.

Burglars busted

POLICE in Torrox have put an end to a spate of 17 crimes by arresting two suspects. The alleged criminals broke into 17 vehicles in towns in Malaga and Granada provinces popular with tourists and stole belongings.

Market mania

PERIANA Market is set to return for its monthly event on Sunday, April 30 in Peri‐ana’s Plaza de Andalucía from 10am to 2pm. Local businesses are welcome to show their products at the market and can register by calling: 693 256 849

MORE than 200 cyclists en‐joyed a magnificent day of sport and culture in Torrox on Sunday April 23 when participating in the town’s annual bike day which started at La Plaza de la Concordia.

“It’s been a magnificent morning of sport and cul ‐ture,” said the mayor of Torrox, Oscar Medina Es ‐paña happy for the success‐ful participation, the good atmosphere and involve ‐ment of so many residents in the development of all the activities.

The ride ended in the Plaza de Marina with a se‐lection of games, prizes, ac‐tivities and a specially pre‐

TWO WHEELED FUN: More than 200 cyclists took part.

Rooted in tradition

THE acclaimed Andean thera‐pist Marco Leoncio Mosquera

Huatay is set to share his ex‐pertise on the ancient natural arts of Peru during his upcom‐ing conference, ‘Artes Ances‐trales Naturales del Perú’, in Moclinejo on Friday, April 28.

The two ‐ day event will delve into the incredible pow‐er of medicinal plants and herbs in promoting health and wellness.

Local officials, including the president of the Mancomu‐nidad de Municipios de la Costa del Sol and the mayor of Moclinejo, are excited to welcome Mosquera and highlight the cultural ex ‐

change between Andalucia and South American coun‐tries.

The mayor explained that Moclinejo is proud to host wellness events, especially those which celebrate shared heritage. He added that Mo‐clinejo residents are always eager to learn and engage with new ideas.

The conference will be held at the Moclinejo Town Hall on Friday, April 28 and the tenencia de Alcaldía de El Valdés on Saturday, April 29. This is a unique opportunity to learn from one of the world’s leading experts in An‐dean natural medicine.

Credit: Torrox Council

pared giant paella. Among those taking part were Benjamin Garcia, clas‐sified as the oldest cyclist who was born in 1959, whilst Laura Rebola Jimenez and Lucía Ruíz Garmilla, were the two youngest participants, both being born in 2022 (al ‐though they weren’t on their own bikes!)

The mayor thanked the collaborations of the Club Ciclista Torrox for the activi‐ties, and the Club Recreati‐vo El Morche for the popu‐lar paella, which contributed to the festive, family and sports atmo ‐sphere that so much char‐acterises the municipality.

Sky’s the limit

IN a historic move, the re‐gional government, the Junta de Andalucia official‐ly declared public owner ‐ship of the Aero Club de Málaga on Tuesday, April 18. The club has now be ‐come a ‘public utility’.

Founded in 1931, the as‐sociation has been based at the Leoni Benabú Aero ‐drome in Velez‐Malaga and has been providing excep‐tional aviation services in the region for nearly a cen‐tury. The 90‐year‐old club is known for its work helping flying fanatics soar above the clouds.

Thanks to this new rul ‐

Nerja residents day

NERJA Town Hall’s Department for For‐eign Residents has announced that the opening times for the upcoming Resi ‐dents Day have been extended up to 6pm.

The event is set to take place on Sun‐day, May 7, and is an opportunity for for‐eign residents to meet other residents and get familiar with the representatives who serve them.

According to the update, stands at the event will be set up from 10am, while the event will open to the public from 12pm

78

STORIES IN THIS WEEK’S EDITION

THE Municipal Sports Area of Almuñecar has or‐ganised its next trekking route for May 14.

The tour, classified as moderate, will take place on trails in the Sierra de El Torcal Alto de Antequera.

ing, the club will now have even more support to con‐tinue its fantastic work. Now the club’s services won’t be limited to mem ‐bers anymore, anyone who meets their requirements can take to the skies with them.

The decision is excellent news for the future of avia‐tion in the region. This as‐sociation will continue to play a vital role in the de ‐velopment and promotion of aviation sports in An ‐dalucia, providing people with new opportunities to explore their passion for flying.

Those interested in par‐ticipating can register at the Almuñecar Sports Area office, located in the Fran‐cisco Bonet municipal sta‐dium, between 9.00am and 2.00pm and from 5.00pm until 10.00pm, Monday to Friday.

The fixed price per ex‐cursion is €12 and places are limited.

There are also vouchers for 10 excursions (€100) and 20 excursions (€160), the fee includes bus trans‐fers, guides and insurance. Payment can be made by card at the aforemen‐tioned offices or with an electronic certificate through the website www.almunecar.es

For more information call (+34) 958 883 142

until 6pm. This decision has been made due to the popularity of the event and the increasing number of foreign resi ‐dents living in Nerja.

Any stalls offering food at the event must hold the appropriate ‘carnet de ma‐nipulador de alimentos’ food handling certificate.

The department can be contacted via email: extranjeros@nerja.es or phone: 952 548 401 for any queries or informa‐tion. Residents can also visit the depart‐ment in person for further information.

THE summer is coming and it’s time to switch over the winter wardrobe. The Costa Women Axarquia Associa‐tion made things easier for their members with a ‘swishing’ clothing ex ‐change and lunch on Friday, April 21.

The event was held at the stunning Villa Dolores in

Wardrobe refresher

Malaga, the perfect location for a day of fashion and fun.

Hosts Ashlyn and Cathy wel‐comed guests with a wel ‐come drink.

Guests were then treated to a delicious buffet lunch prepared by Ankie. Atten‐

PROVERB OF THE WEEK

dees enjoyed a selection of drinks, including wine, beer, and soft drinks. An honesty bar was also open later in the event and guests were invited to cool off in the venue’s swimming pool.

Guests also had the op ‐portunity to swap up to five fashion items, including clothes, accessories, beauty products, and books, with items brought by other guests. Any remaining items were donated to charity.

The event helped to cut back on fashion waste while giving used clothing and ac‐cessories a new lease of life.

Costa Women Axarquia is a friendly community asso‐ciation which welcomes new members. Their Face‐book page is available on‐line: https://www.face book.com/CostaWomen

Strides in solidarity

ALMUÑECAR’S Casa de la

Cultura is proud to an ‐nounce that it is hosting AROMAR Dance School’s show entitled ‘When I Grow Up’.

The show can be watched on April 29, 30 and May 1

and 2 at 7.30pm at the Casa de la Culture, Plaza de la Constitucion.

The councillor for Culture, Alberto Garcia Gilabert, con‐firmed: “For the Casa de Cul‐tura and the council it is al‐ways an honour to receive this end‐of‐year gala which we await with open arms and with anticipation.

“No doubt the show will surprise us this year with the most veteran dance academy in Almunecar. It is an academy that has achieved more challenges throughout its history and the one that has produced more students as great pro‐fessionals under the guid‐ance of Asuncion.”

For her part, the head of the Professional Dance School AROMAR, Asuncion Rodriguez, had words of thanks to the councillor for the support received, “with‐out which it would not have been possible to make this staging,” she said.

For more information, call (+34) 950 210 446.

51% Amount of monthly salary you need to buy an iPhone 14 Pro Max in the UK.

“Don’t put too many irons in the fire.”

Meaning don’t try to do too many things at the same time, focus on one thing at a time. This proverb dates back to the mid-1500s and is derived from the trade of blacksmithing.

The AECC in Malaga will receive funds from the event.

Photo credit: Asociación Española Contra el Cáncer Málaga (via Facebook)

PREPARE for a tantalising culinary ex ‐perience in Algarrobo ‐ Costa as one restaurant gears up to host a one‐of‐a‐kind feast for a great cause! The BaoBab Beach House Restaurant is all set to put on a charity lunch featuring a mouthwatering spread of Indonesian cuisine that’s sure to delight guests.

The event, which is scheduled to take place at 2pm on Monday, April

THE region of Granada is set to be at the heart of the first two stages of the Ruta del Sol Elite women’s cycling race. The second edition of the five‐day event will begin on Wednesday, May 31 in Jaén before heading into Granada, where the first stage will fin‐ish and the second stage will start.

The road race will feature 120 elite female cyclists from 12 countries and will be broadcast on Eurosport and Televisión Española.

The town of La Zubia will host the initial stage, covering 117 kilometres, where the winner of the first sprint of the race will be crowned. The second stage will start from the Costa Tropical, in Salo‐breña, which hosted the first

Feast your senses

29, is being held in support of MJM animal rescue, a non ‐ profit organisa ‐tion that tirelessly works towards res ‐cuing and rehabilitating animals in need.

The talented chef Kathy Berg will be

Pedal power

at the helm of the kitchen, cooking up a storm and dishing out some delectable Indonesian delights that will have guests coming back for more.

Organisers are also offering an excit ‐ing lottery activity during the meal

LOCAL photographer Marina Rodríguez has brought her thought‐provoking pho‐tography to La Caleta Fishing Centre in Torre del Mar. Her exhibition, ‘From the Sea’, features a series of 10 stunning im‐ages highlighting environmental damage to our oceans.

In a press conference on Monday, April 25, Torre del Mar’s deputy mayor, Jesús Pérez Atencia, alongside Caleta de Velez’s deputy mayor, José David Segu ‐ra, and Marina Rodríguez unveiled the exhibition, which opened on Wednes ‐day, April 26.

which will help to raise funds to house the shelter’s dogs.

Tickets for the meal cost €20, which includes a sumptuous meal and will help to support a noble cause. Drinks are not included in the ticket price.

Tickets can be purchased from the MJM charity shop on Calle Río, 25 in Torre del Mar or at the restaurant it ‐self located on the Paseo Maritimo.

Deep dive

stage last year, before ending in the province of Malaga af‐ter traversing 95 kilometres of countryside.

Authorities announced the return of the event at a cere‐mony on Monday, April 24, held at the headquarters of

the Diputación de Granada. The event was attended by various officials, including Manuel Entrena, the presi‐dent of the Diputación, who said that the event will fur‐ther advance women’s cy‐cling.

The show aims to draw attention to the importance of keeping our oceans clean, with La Caleta’s own port taking centre stage. The exhibition features powerful images that remind us of the impact of pollution on our marine envi‐ronment, particularly in a town like La Caleta, where many families rely on fish‐ing as their livelihood.

Rodriguez, who comes from a long line

of fishermen, explained, “I am deeply concerned about the pollution of our oceans and the impact it has on the fish‐ing industry. I hope this exhibition will raise awareness and inspire people to take action to protect our seas.”

The exhibition is the third to be held in the new exhibition centre.

Women cyclists get into gear in last year’s event.

The exhibition focuses on the town’s own port.

Photo credit: Ayuntamiento de Cártama (via Facebook)

Tenencia de alcaldía de La Caleta de Vélez

THE European Union (EU) has issued a stern warning to Spain over a controversial en‐vironmental law that seeks to legalise irrigation in thou‐sands of hectares of land around Doñana National Park, one of the most impor‐tant wetlands in Europe.

Virginijus Sinkevičius, the European Commissioner for Environment, wrote a letter on Thursday, April 20, ex ‐pressing his concerns about the proposed law and threat‐ened to take legal action if it violates environmental legis‐lation.

In deep water

The EU has already re ‐quested clarification from the Spanish government about the law change, but no for‐mal response has been given yet.

According to technical esti‐mates by the European Par‐liament, the fine for non ‐compliance could be as much as €300m. Spain has previ‐ously faced environmental fines in the Basque Country.

Doñana in southern An‐

REYES MAROTO has caused controver ‐sy by suggesting introducing a tourist tax to Madrid, something that local hoteliers are already getting steamed up about, according to a news source on Monday, April 17.

For five years, Maroto was in charge of Spain’s tourism. Now she is standing for mayor of Madrid, which every year attracts millions of visitors, including lots of British holidaymakers.

A tourist tax was first proposed for Madrid in 2015 and 2018 but was never implemented.

“The most important thing is to know why,” Maroto said.

Speaking during a breakfast meeting

dalucia has been suffering from water shortages due to the expansion of irrigated agriculture in surrounding ar‐eas. A local ecological re ‐search centre, reports that 59 per cent of the major lagoons in Doñana have not been filled with water since 2013.

The situation has been at‐tributed to the increase in ir‐rigated land, which has ex‐panded by 30 per cent in the last decade.

New tourist tax

in Madrid, the Ex ‐ Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism said she liked the idea of introducing a tourist tax, which visitors to the city would have to pay per night, but added, “The tourist tax does not have to be merely a tax, it has to be a tax that reverts to the tourism industry.”

On hearing her comments the Madrid Hotel Business Association (MHBA) made clear its opposition to the idea without any hesitation, claiming that it would have a detrimental effect on the hotel sector and visitors.

New Housing Law 2023

THE Spanish government proposed a new housing law in February 2022. This new law, which is the first of its kind, has finally been agreed upon and is pending approval from the Spanish Parliament. It focuses on rental proper ‐ties in what they are call ‐ing ‘stressed areas’.

A ‘stressed area’ under the new law is an area where the cost of the mortgage or rent, plus bills and other basic prop‐erty costs, exceeds 30 per cent of the average in ‐come or where the rent has risen by 5 per cent above the Consumer Price Index (CPI).

This new law has rede ‐fined what a large and small landowner is. A large landowner is now someone who owns five properties or more, it used to be 10. A small landowner owns less than five properties. The most controversial part of this new law is the fact that

the tenant will no longer pay the real estate fees.

To ensure there are no loopholes in this new law they have prohibited the inclusion of extra charges (community fee, garbage removal, etc) and you cannot come to an ‘agree‐ment between parties’ contrary to the housing agreement. They have in ‐cluded tax benefits that will help offset these ex ‐tra costs for the owners.

Another big change is the elimination of the CPI when calculating the cost of the rent, it is capped

and cannot increase by more than 2 per cent in 2023 and 3 per cent in 2024. They have also in ‐cluded new measures to protect against evictions.

NEW LAW: Focuses on rental properties.

950,000

metric tons of sunflowers are grown in Spain.

PRESS EUROPEAN

DENMARK

Stay clear

DENMARK has lifted restrictions on sailing in waters near the Nord Stream gas pipeline which was sabotaged by a series of blasts last September. At the same time Denmark’s Maritime Authority advised against anchoring or fishing within one nautical mile (1.85 kilometres) of the site.

THE NETHERLANDS

Happy talk

EIGHTY-FIVE per cent of the Netherlands’ population told an official poll they were happy with their lives although 62 per cent believed things “were going wrong” with the country. A further 60 per cent were dissatisfied with the country’s political policies, compared with 49 per cent in the autumn.

BELGIUM

Early occupiers

DURING excavations in Elewijt near Zemst, archaeologist Kylian Verhaevert and his team discovered evidence of an Iron Age settlement with circular ditches and a burial ground. They also uncovered a Roman cemetery with up to 30 graves and signs of an open-air temple and sanctuary.

GERMANY

Second term

AS the 2024 EU elections approach, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen has not said whether she wants to stand again. If willing, and she receives government backing, her re-election is a certainty as Germany wields significant influence regarding Brussels’ top jobs.

FRANCE

High up

ALAIN ROBERT, a free climber known as the French Spiderman, recently scaled a 38storey tower block in Paris in support of demonstrators opposed to the new pension law delaying the age when people can retire. Aged 60, he habitually climbs without a harness, using only his bare hands.

NORWAY

Open again

NORWAY’S Trollstigen winding road with its many hairpin bends, which is closed by the government each winter, has reopened to traffic. This area receives an average of 450 inches of snowfall and is impassable until April when snow ploughs clear the scenic route, ready for the tourist season.

FINLAND

Happy Birds

FINLAND-BASED Rovio, maker of the Angry Birds video games, has been bought by Sega Sammy Holdings. The Japanese gaming giant responsible for the Sonic the Hedgehog character is paying €760 million for Angry Birds, which was the first mobile game to be downloaded one billion times.

IRELAND

Short-changed

THE 10-kilometre Great Ireland Run accidentally became an 8.5-kilometre run as runners were accidentally sent the wrong way by marshals. The race, organised by Great Ireland Run and Dublin City Harriers, was held in Dublin's Phoenix Park but all results were afterwards declared void.

ITALY

Milan getaway

ITALY’S Justice Minister Carlo Nordio was summoned to parliament to explain why Russian businessman Artem Uss, under house arrest in a luxury apartment in Milan, was able to abscond. He was due to be extradited to the US to face charges of evading sanctions and money-laundering.

PORTUGAL

Sea rescue

SEVENTEEN-YEAR-OLD Erica Vicente was blown far out to sea while paddle boarding off the Vila Real de Santo Antonio beach. Twenty hours later the MSC Reef, a container ship waiting to enter Tangier (Morocco) harbour, spotted her in the water, alive but suffering from hypothermia and sunburn.

UKRAINE

Shooting star

A MYSTERIOUS flash lighting up Kyiv’s night sky on April 21 was originally identified as a Nasa satellite falling to Earth. After the US space agency revealed that it was still in orbit, Ukrainian space officials announced that the flash was probably a meteor entering the earth’s atmosphere.

SWEDEN

No Tweets

SVERIGES RADIO (SR) has stopped using Twitter, referring to its concerns over the company’s “recent turbulence” and questioning Twitter’s ability and willingness to fight fake news and hate speech. SR’s decision follows similar moves by the US National Public Radio and Canada’s CBC.

BUSINESS EXTRA Done deal FINANCE

Outlook cloudy

SUPERDRY no longer expects to make a profit this year and may have to raise new funds. Poor weather had resulted in less demand for the company’s new spring­summer collection and sales had been hit by the cost of living crisis hit, the British fashion brand admitted.

Tax facts

MULTINATIONAL companies pay corporation tax averaging 21.8 per cent in Spain, more than seven percentage points below the European Union’s 29.03 per cent. Meanwhile, more than half of large Spanish groups pay corporation tax amounting to less than 20 per cent according to tax authority Hacienda.

CBI shamed

THE British Insurance Brokers’ Association, representing 1,800 insurance brokers and intermediaries, left the scandal­hit Confederation of British Industry (CBI) following sexual assault allegations against senior staff. The CBI admitted that some members had left but stressed this was only in “single­digit” numbers.

Gas cash

SPANISH engineering and construction companies Tecnicas

Reunidas, FCC and Turkey’s Enka secured a €1 billion contract to build one of Germany’s three planned regasification plants for liquid natural gas (LNG) near Hamburg. Another Spanish company, Sener y Cobra, will be responsible for another in Brünsbuttel.

Charge sheet

LESS than 12 years before the first ban on diesel engines comes into force, the UK has no public electric chargers or hydrogen refilling station for lorries. Lack of infrastructure makes it impossible for operators to decarbonise their fleets, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) warned.

is the amount that Inditex was worth on April 17 as shares rose by 1.22 per cent, putting the fashion chain ahead of power company Iberdrola and Santander bank.

Deflating inflation figures

INFLATION in the UK fell less than was hoped, hampered by food and drink prices rocketing by 19.1 per cent.

The annual rate measured by the consumer price index (CPI) dipped to 10.1 per cent in March, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said, continuing its downward path after February’s 10.4 per cent.

Economists had expected a fall to 9.8 per cent but instead inflation remained in double figures as food and drink prices rose at the fastest annual rate since 1977.

Britain was the only country in western Europe with double­digit inflation in March, compared with an average of 6.9 per cent in the euro zone and 5 per cent in the United

FC BARCELONA is putting the finishing touches to plans for financing its Espai Barça project with a €1.5 billion bond issue.

Amongst other plans, this will finance a complete remodelling of the club’s Camp Nou football ground.

As investors will expect an interest rate of around 6 per cent costing the club an annual €90 million, the market is waiting to see how and where it will seek the funding to meet these extra payments.

Little has gone smoothly for the club since announcing its plans to finance the Espai Barça project.

Flat batteries

MTE Power, a small producer of lithium ion batteries, initially intended to build its first factory capable of large ­ scale production in Dundee.

The company recently told Sky News that it was considering whether to switch from the UK to the US where it would benefit from American subsidies under the Inflation Reduction Act.

“Unless we can make the UK a competitive place for battery manufacturers, we probably won’t end up with a battery manufacturing industry in the UK,” AMTE Power’s chief executive Alan Hollis said.

States.

It looks as though the Bank of England will again raise the interest rate with financial markets now betting on

a 97 per chance that the Bank will increase the base rate by a quarter of one percentage point to 4.5 per cent on May 11. There were indications, insiders said, that this could hit 5 per cent by the autumn.

Referring to the March figures, Grant Fitzner, the chief economist at the ONS, said the principal drivers of the reduction were motor fuel prices and heating oil costs.

“Both fell after sharp rises at the same time last year. Clothing, furniture and household goods prices increased, but more slowly than a year ago. However, these were partially offset by the cost of food, which is still climbing steeply, with bread and cereal prices at a record high.”

Barça’s on the ball

vate placement of bonds on Wall Street, split into three €500­million tranches. The first would have been due on June 30, 2032, and the second on June 30, 2045. The club would have paid interest on the third tranche only until 2045 despite maturing on June 30, 2052.

the club had to rethink its plans.

This involved reducing the number of bonds and taking on a bank debt that will be guaranteed by JP Morgan and Goldman Sachs.

EL CORTE INGLES has paid a total of €500 million to finalise its deal with Sheikh Al Thani.

With this transaction, the department store group acquired 4.2 million of its shares, representing 5.53 per cent of the group’s capital and half of the 10.33 per cent owned by AI Thani through Luxembourgregistered Primefin.

El Corte Ingles repurchased these shares in June 2022 in an operation originally valued at €385 million. The final amount was increased to €500 million to include compensation and interest, principally as compensation to Primefin which granted a €1 billion loan to El Corte Ingles in 2015.

Home help

THE Bank of Spain (BDE) revised the number of mortgages eligible for social protection measures agreed with the government and finance sector in late 2022.

Initially, Barcelona had hoped for a €1.5 billion pri­

These plans came to nothing. Beset by the Negrerira scandal over bribes to the vice­president of the football referees’ committee, which coincided with last March’s banking crisis,

A smooth ride

NATIONAL EXPRESS reported a rise in first ­ quarter revenues thanks to its UK buses and German rail improvements.

Overall earnings rose by 25 per cent to £774.4 million (€879.7 million), consistent with expectations, while Spanish subsidiary ALSA reported solid growth, especially on long haul and Morocco routes.

UK earnings rose 27 per cent year ­ onyear, with scheduled coach revenue up 87 per cent on 2022, reflecting the recovery from the Covid ­ related restrictions 2021 and the impact of rail strikes.

Thanks to its first ­ quarter results, National Express shares immediately rose 4.25 per cent after having fallen by around 48 per cent over the 12 months.

The company’s German rail interests rose 10 per cent on 2022 while it expects a 13 per cent price increase on the US bus contracts once these expire.

Some finer points have still to be decided, including the final amount of both the bonds and the bank loan. Sources close to the process suggested that ultimately the bond issue would be somewhere under €1 billion and the loan somewhat over €500 million.

Meter pact

ENERGY FIRMS agreed to ban forcible installation of prepayment meters in the homes of customers who are over 85.

Representatives must in future wear body cameras as part of a new code of conduct, the Guardian revealed.

Suppliers reached agreement with the government regarding new guidelines for installing the meters in situations where householders have run up an energy debt. There will be no repetition of agents brandishing court­approved entry warrants to break in to install them, power companies pledged.

They must now make at least 10 attempts to contact a customer and then conduct a ‘site welfare visit’ before a prepayment meter is installed.

The updated and extended Code of Good Practice was expected to benefit one million vulnerable households and those at risk of defaulting on mortgage payments.

Instead, Spain’s supervisor calculates that this would assist 550,000 families should the interest rate rise from the current 3.5 to 4 per cent.

Nevertheless, past figures for households accessing the 2012 Code also suggested that only 200,000 households would benefit, according to Bank of Spain’s latest Financial Stability Report.

Cheers Heineken

HEINEKEN has finished the first quarter of its fiscal year with buoyant sales in Spain.

The multinational brewing company reported that its net income grew by more than 20 per cent owing to increased volume and the combination of channels and brands.

Sales of the 0.0. non­alcoholic brand performed exceptionally well in Spain, together with the entire premium range led by El Aguila.

In addition, Spain is one of six markets that have completed the transition to Eazle, one of the largest e­commerce platforms in the world, the company said.

MARCH INFLATION: In double figures owing to food and drink prices.

CAMP NOU: FC Barcelona plans to remodel iconic football ground.

Photo credit: Pexels/Gustav Fring

LONDON - FTSE 100

DOW JONES

Bagged it

MULBERRY GROUP

sales improved in the second half of its financial year, partly due to demand for luxury goods as China’s economy reopened. The firm slumped during the first half on reporting £4 million (€4.5 million) losses for the six months ending 1 October 2022.

AI is best

ROUGHLY half of Spanish bosses said they would prefer artificial intelligence to make decisions for them, a study by technology firm Oracle found. Forty ­ five per cent of managers said that an over­abundance of data and their inability to handle it efficiently had led to a greater reliance on machines.

Housing for all

Linda Hall

SPAIN’S government will use European funds to finance 43,000 new homes for use as social housing at reasonable rents. This will add up to a total of 93,000 properties when taking into account an additional 50,000 properties which now belong to Sareb, Spain’s ‘bad bank’.

Speaking in parliament on April 19, Pedro Sanchez, president of the Spanish government, explained that some of the properties would be newbuilds while others would be renovated.

The cost would be covered by €4 billion in EU funding which will be made available

through Spain’s Official Credit Institute (ICO).

“Public and private develop­

In-person preferred

A RECENT survey found that a third of the UK population prefer to do their banking in person. Meanwhile, high street banks maintain in­person services are underused although the survey found that people wanted person­toperson advice even when they were computer­literate and could obtain it online.

Forty­four per cent of over­55s said they would rather visit a branch but the survey by

professional services company, Accenture, found that not only older generations were averse to change as the 18­34 age group also hesitated to switch entirely to online banking. More people were using the Post Office to manage money as a result of branches closing, which often made it the only location where consumers and businesses could do their banking.

EY cull

ers will have access to this funding on the understanding that the properties will be available as social housing for at least 50 years,” government sources said. Not all of the 50,000 properties acquired by Sareb when the 2008 property bubble burst will be immediately available, however.

Twenty­one thousand of the Sareb homes are finished and the bank possesses enough land to build 15,000 more, but a further 14,000 are at present occupied by squatters. Raquel Sanchez, Transport and Urban Agenda minister, explained during a La Sexta television interview, that where possible the government hoped to be able to “legalise the situation” of the squatters.

The minister did not mention that only 2,230 of Sareb’s properties were located in Madrid, Valencia, or Barcelona whose respective rents had risen by 10.4, 18.4 and 19.1 per cent since March 2022.

LONDON­BASED accountancy firm Ernst & Young (EY) is cutting 3,000 US jobs, citing overcapacity. Days earlier, EY abandoned plans to separate its auditing and consulting divisions although the company maintained that the reductions were unrelated. The cuts affecting approximately 5 per cent of its US workforce were part of its ongoing management of the business, said EY, promising “comprehensive support” to those affected.

Cheap deal

THE National Competition and Markets Commission (CNMC) is investigating 35 of Spain’s small and medium­sized electricity suppliers. The CNMC suspects that Holaluz, Cox, Fenie Energia, Alpex Iberica, Alterna, Neuroenergia and Som Energia amongst others, have taken advantage of the Iberian exception, buying cheap electricity on the Spanish market and selling it to France. As always, the CNMC said it could not provide any further details.

RAQUEL SANCHEZ: Spain’s Transport and Urban Agenda minister.

Photo credit: Pool Moncloa

BUSINESS EXTRA

On the cards

DEMAND for paper money around the world is at its lowest in 20 years, banknote manufacturer De La Rue said. The company, which designs a third of the banknotes used worldwide, explained that the demand for cash had fallen since the pandemic when central banks stocked up on currency.

Stone profit

MARBLE multinational Cosentino had a turnover of €1.7 billion last year, 22 per cent more than in 2021 and the company’s third consecutive year with a turnover topping €1 billion. Operating profits grew by 13 per cent to €312 million while net profits also advanced by 13 per cent to €117 million.

Tomato blow

THIS year could see the lowest production of British tomatoes since 1985. The National Farmers Union warned that steep rises in production costs, including energy to heat and light greenhouses, had forced many growers to make cuts, mothball greenhouses or shut down altogether.

Speeding up

CAR production by 19.6 per cent during the first quarter of 2023 compared with the same period in 2022, manufacturers’ association Anfact announced. A total of 658,282 vehicles left Spanish factories thanks to a renewed supply of chips, although production was 13 per cent lower than in 2019.

Quids in

PEPCO GROUP, which owns Poundland, posted strong sales growth after rising prices and inflation drove shoppers to seek out bargains. Turnover grew by 22.8 per cent to €2.39 billion for the six months ending March, following solid trade at its Pepco outlets where revenues soared by 36.9 per cent.

Grenadier goes to Austria

INEOS, the company founded and run by Sir Jim Ratcliffe, will build an electric version of its new Grenadier off­road vehicle.

Despite Ratcliffe’s staunch backing for Brexit, the latest version of his 4x4 will be produced in Austria, using car parts from the Canadian manufacturer Magna.

With production due to begin in 2026, the UK has once again missed out on building a second Ineos vehicle after Ratcliffe chose a French factory for the original Grenadier.

Ratcliffe, who transformed Ineos into one of the UK’s biggest private companies by taking over chemicals businesses, has since launched unrelated projects

which, together with the Grenadier, range from clothing to sports clubs.

These include the Nice football team in France, the Ineos Britannia sailing team as well as the for­

Mammoth Aena contract

mer Team Sky cycling team, since renamed the Ineos Grenadiers. He has also put in a bid for Manchester United.

With a personal wealth which the Sunday Times Rich List put at £6 billion (€6.8 billion), Ratcliffe lives in Monaco for tax purposes.

He named the Grenadier after his favourite London pub, which he later bought, but despite the vehicle’s ostensible Britishness, the first version was built in Hambach in eastern France.

This came as a disappointment for Bridgend in south Wales where Ratcliffe had originally planned to build the Grenadier following the closure of the Ford engine plant.

Another London acquisition

INDITEX founder Amancio Ortega paid £82 million (€93 million) for another London property in Foley Street, via his Pontegadea real estate company.

The 1920s building close to Oxford Circus and the British Museum, was originally built as a printer’s and later housed the BBC’s overseas service.

This was the Zara billionaire’s second impressive property deal in recent months, following the €100 million purchase last March of an apartment building in Dublin’s Hanover Square.

The Foley Street building was bought from Abrdn ­ formerly Standard Life Aberdeen ­ in a transaction overseen by property advisers Savills.

Abrdn bought the 4,000­square metre Foley Street building for £70 million (€79.5 million) in 2017, leasing it for 25 years to the Kier Group in 2018.

Undeterred by Brexit, Ortega continues to invest in the London property market with assets worth approximately €3 billion. His biggest purchase, The Post Building, was acquired in 2019 for around €700 million.

He owns properties in Oxford Street, St James’s Street and St James

US investment fund, Apollo Global Management, has the John Wood Group in its sights.

Usually referred to as Wood, the multinational engineering and consulting business headquartered in Aberdeen turned down four previous offers, maintaining that they did not reflect its real value.

Matters changed with

Square as well as Devonshire House, the former townhouse of the Dukes of Devonshire in Piccadilly.

The Foley Street sale was one of London’s few largescale property transactions in recent months, after sales slowed owing to the Bank of England's increased interest increase.

An American suitor

the fifth, which valued Wood at £1.66 billion (€1.84 billion), 59 per cent more than the share price before the first offer was made.

The board of directors listened to Wood’s investorsmainly big institutional funds ­ and decided to open the books to Apollo.

This follows a steady de­

STATE

OWNED airports operator

Aena is putting out to tender a fiveyear, €1.5 billion contract for private security.

What is possibly the Administration’s largest­ever services contract, seeks approximately 5,500 security guards and 2,000 assistants for Aena’s 45 airports, two helipads and Murcia aerodrome.

They will be required to provide adequate security at Aena airports which foresee 286 million arrivals during 2023, rising to 288 million in 2024, 301 million in 2025 and 315 million in 2026.

Insiders familiar with the contract specifications said in the Spanish press that this offered the option of an additional year, to provide the chosen companies with as much stability as possible.

Getaways

DESPITE the cost­of­living crisis, spending on flights and holidays rose in the first three months of 2023.

Details from more than 24 million UK bank accounts showed a 27 per cent year­onyear rise on package holiday bookings, and a 36 per cent increase in spending on airfares, according to analysis by digital advertising platform Cardlytics.

cline in Wood’s share price, partly to the problematical £2.2 billion (€2.5 billion) takeover of US engineering giant Amec Foster Wheeler, and attempts to diversify from oil and gas.

The original deadline for a decision has now passed and has been moved to May 17.

A health unto His Majesty

NYETIMBER, which produces English sparkling wine, predicted bumper sales for this summer.

Eric Heerema, Nyetimber’s chief executive and chairman, said the Sussexbased company was expecting “strong demand” over the Coronation bank holiday.

Sales had already surged in recent years, Heerema pointed out, thanks in part to warmer weather which favoured production and shot up by 60 per cent over the late Queen’s Platinum

Jubilee weekend.

Glasses of Nyetimber wines, which have been served at numerous royal events, will be raised again throughout Britain during and after HM King Charles III’s coronation on Saturday, May 6.

Nyetimber, like rival Chapel Down, is launching a £39.50 (€44.83) limited edition wine for the Coronation, made from West Sussex grapes.

“Consumers are always proud to champion and celebrate British goods and craftsmanship,” Heerema said.

While all the travel industry has enjoyed a post ­ Covid rebound, figures suggest a trend towards low ­ cost options as budget airlines are up 42 per cent year ­ on ­ year compared with 29 per cent for more expensive carriers.

Best start

BANKINTER had an excellent start to 2023.

The bank reported first­quarter profits of €185 million, 20 per cent more than the same period last year and Bankinter’s best­ever January­March figure.

It also takes into account the €77 million that Bankinter paid as the first instalment of the temporary windfall tax. This was introduced last year to fund government measures brought in to ease the costof­living crisis.

The stock market immediately responded with a 5 per cent increase in Bankinter shares although these later fell back to around 2 per cent.

INEOS GRENADIER: Electric version will be built in Austria.

Photo credit: Flickr/Mario AP

AMANCIO ORTEGA: Inditex founder continues to add to property portfolio.

LEE SAYS IT

OTHERS THINK IT

ONCE again the festival of Ra ‐madan has drawn to a close. Ten years ago, your average Brit in the street wouldn’t have had a clue as to the meaning or origins of Ra ‐madan.

This year you would have to be a recluse in a moon cave to miss out on what is actually the most impor‐tant Muslim celebration of the year. In fact, it now comes in as the UK’s third biggest religious event after Christmas and Easter. Appar ‐ently some four million Muslims have been fasting this month, and consequently the news has been carried on just about every media outlet you care to mention; includ‐ing of course the projections and decorations that have flooded the West End of London.

There has been a positive deluge of programmes on TV, explaining the custom and how it affects its followers. A number have shown special diets. Times to eat and sleep, and even a series of exercises designed to help the followers get through, what can obviously be an

I draw the line

extremely taxing period. I did slightly twitch at one interview however when the interviewee sug‐gested it would be thoughtful if non ‐ Muslims would try and avoid eating openly in front of anyone close by who was obviously Mus ‐lim!

Well I’m afraid I draw the line there. The idea of hiding yer actual ice cream or fish and chips, because you may ‘offend’ someone who is fasting, is just a step too far. Sorry about that. I actually spent eight years in a Muslim country, and con‐sequently saw the festival com ‐pletely close up as it were.

I do remember one fellow Brit walking through a supermarket in the day during Ramadan, scoffing bananas and telling me he couldn’t care less because he wasn’t actually a Muslim himself. I did feel this somewhat disrespectful, as we were guests in their country, but frankly being asked to refrain from eating openly in my own country because it may offend someone, in my opinion is a total liberty and the sort of inflammatory remark that

TRAFFIC JAM BLUES OUR VIEW

does nothing to improve under ‐standing and acceptance of other people’s beliefs whatsoever.

Incidentally, I do remember, dur‐ing my experience of those far off Saudi days, the whole month being great fun for those of the privileged elite, who would simply party it up all night and sleep all day. Nice work if you can get it.

Even I enjoyed visiting offices and helping a somewhat devious associ‐ate deliver illegal alcohol in the middle of the night. After all most of us enjoy a drink at Christmas, I can categorically assure you that in the 70s, Ramadan was no excep ‐tion.

It may have changed now, but I very much doubt it. In fact I was in‐formed that during the 70s Saudi Arabia was the world’s biggest im ‐porter of JW whisky. This couldn’t be shown on any books so they al ‐ways paid cash. I wonder where all that disappeared to!?

AFTER years of pain following the 2008 banking crisis, much of Spain has seen a remarkable recovery as far as housing is concerned and in many parts of the country the sight of towering cranes indicates the amount of new accommodations that is being built.

It’s good news for the economy as it creates employ‐ment and also generates income for local councils espe‐cially as many of the buyers, particularly in popular holi‐day areas, are foreigners either purchasing a holiday home or moving to Spain permanently.

Whilst there are fewer British buyers there are large numbers of Germans and other Europeans who don’t need to follow the 90/180 day rule, so the market is cur‐rently very buoyant. There is however a major problem that certainly affects the Costa del Sol and we believe many of the areas where the seven editions of Euro Weekly News are distributed. Basically, the more new builds on previously vacant land, the more traffic and in many cases, the infrastructure is not keeping up with the developments, so that whilst each new urbanisation has brand new roads, they simply lead to existing roads which can no longer cope with the volume of traffic hit‐ting them. In addition, whilst the government is encour‐aging drivers to take public transport, there are whole ar‐eas where there are no trains and buses of course get caught up in the ever‐growing traffic jams.

Spain has a huge amount of EU funding and is invest‐ing left, right and centre, but with pressure to add or in‐crease costs on toll roads, the country will see empty motorways and even more traffic on the free roads.

MiColchón: Helping hotels provide the best rest

THE hotel and tourism sector on the Costa del Sol is big business, and one of their funda‐mental services is to offer clients the best rest.

Our experience as guests staying in holiday accommodations or hotels largely depends on our quality of rest. Other factors such as the rating, the size of the rooms, cleanliness and whether the complex has other services like a spa and beauty treatments are irrele‐vant if we don’t enjoy a restful night’s sleep. Not sleeping well will almost always result in negative feedback.

• So how can hotels and accommodation services ensure guests get the best rest?

A mattress must combine comfort and durability to stand the test of time and to pro‐vide quality comfort to the many people that will use it.

The mattress must also comply with cur‐rent regulations, including quality certificates. These quality certificates ensure that the mat‐tress is safe to use and that it is made of flame‐retardant fabrics and certified by an ac‐

credited company.

• Complying with regulations

Foams such as viscoelastic or HR must have an accredited certificate which ensures they do not contain any toxic substances and pro‐vides the highest level of protection for hu‐man health and the environment.

Another essential accreditation is that the mattress complies with Standard 100 by OEKO‐TEX, certifying that all the materials that make up the mattress are free of toxic substances. The Class I certificate means that the mattresses are even suitable for babies.

• Comfort The mattress must be adequate for all types of users and they are usually manufactured for medium to high firm‐ness. A perfect example of this comes from leading chain MiColchón and their ‘Double Comfort’ range of reinforced mattresses. These are designed for dura‐bility and also contain comfort layers us‐ing the best materials, such as viscoelastic or high‐density and resilient Irontex. Night‐land mattresses offer tourists and travellers much‐needed and restful sleep.

• Durability

Like any business, the hotel and holiday sector must take into account the profitability and durability of their products. MiColchón

has created an exclusive ‘Double Duration’ range with high‐quality continuous thread spring cores, making it completely non‐de‐formable thanks to its patented ‘special con‐tinuous use’ back system.

MiColchón mattresses are a perfect exam‐ple of durability and profitability, with a spring core and extra hard steel, without compromising on the comfort achieved from the most advanced viscoelastic material, Memoryvis, and fireproof upholstery that complies with current regulations.

• A service that is good as the product

Hotels or individuals who invest in holiday accommodation know the importance of professional and personal service, something that MiColchón strives to provide their cus‐tomers.

Standing out against their competition, Mi‐Colchón has an express delivery service with‐in 24 ‐ 48 hours, providing an immediate solu‐tion to any incident that may arise in hotels and holiday apartments in Malaga Province.

DAVID WORBOYS

THINKING ALOUD

THE GOP in the USA has committed itself to banning abortion. Could this be one instance in which they have made the ‘right’ moral decision at great risk to their political aspira ‐tions?

Human life is sacred and we all have the right to live. Then, why is abortion is such a complex issue? An embryo is alive immediately it is con ‐ceived, but is not a human life. It be ‐comes a foetus after about 10 weeks of gestation, when it begins its unity with the soul. This union is not com ‐plete until the 16th week.

Until then it is not recognised as a living sentient being, in which case, it has fewer rights than a goat or a salmon. But it has always had the potential to become a human being. And if the embryo is destroyed its potential is destroyed. This is surely the issue.

At the same time, its mother in whose body the foetus exists is al ‐ready a fully sentient being with the right to live. The foetus has the right to be born and to exist; but does this

ABORTION AND HUMAN LIFE

sault. If it is rape by an unknown at ‐tacker, her baby may be a constant reminder of the nightmare of the or ‐deal. If it is a family member, she has to decide whether to report it and await the reaction of her family. In any of these cases, is abortion of the birth of a potential human being jus ‐tified?

Where the rape is perpetrated by a boyfriend, fiancé, husband or ‘part ‐ner’ who insisted on going ahead de ‐spite her protests, there would seem to be no case whatsoever for abort ‐ing the baby’s birth, despite the in ‐conveniences to its parents.

override the rights of the mother in any circumstances?

If the mother’s life would be en ‐dangered by the pregnancy or birth, it is the choice between an existing human life and a potential one, and it is generally considered that the mother has priority. If her life is not threatened, it is a question of having the right to make the decision about her own body and to live her life ac ‐cordingly. Or so the argument goes.

If the foetus is considered a sen ‐tient being, then the circumstances of the conception should be irrele ‐vant, because it had no control over it, whether it resulted from poor family planning, a simple lovers’ tiff or a brutal gang rape.

Cases of rape depend on the cir ‐cumstances. If it is a gang rape, the victim may not even know who is the father. And she may associate the in ‐nocent baby’s very existence with the horrifying experience of the as ‐

If the mother is somebody who sleeps around with scant regard for the consequences, there would seem to be a moral obligation to preserve an innocent life resulting from the reckless pursuit of pleasure. But it is not always as simple as that!

NEWS FLASH: NEW FOREIGN SPECIES SPOTTED IN SPAIN!

NORAJOHNSON BREAKINGVIEWS

IT’s that time of year when you first really start to see them. Tourists, that is. They’re the pasty‐looking white blobs on the beach ‐unless it’s been unusually hot and they’re red as lob‐sters and being given the kiss of life by paramedics.

With all the Roman ru‐ins ‐ villas, roads, market‐places ‐ uncovered in Spain, the Romans could be considered the earliest tourist species. Just imag‐ine them: charging along the carreteras to the near‐est encampment in their horse‐drawn chariots. Before advancing over the Alps into Italy, Hannibal first got the show on the road in Spain when he breezed in from Carthage with his, err,

caravan of nose‐to‐tail elephants.

Give a final thought to Strabo, an un‐lucky general who not only took a pasting from the locals, but died of the plague during one catastrophic campaign. Just as he was about to expire, lightning struck his tent and reduced it to ashes. So, not a happy camper either...

Not to be outdone, though, the worst UK campaign was in 1216 when King John, march‐ing about dealing with a rebellion and a couple of invasions, caught dysen‐tery in Norfolk, lost the Crown Jewels in the Wash, and died in Not ‐tinghamshire. Nuff said.

Nora Johnson’s 12 criti‐cally acclaimed psycho‐logical suspense crime thrillers (www.nora‐john son.net) all available online including eBooks (€0.99; £0.99), Apple Books, au‐diobooks, paperbacks at Amazon etc. Profits to Cudeca cancer charity.

David Worboys’s opinions are his own and are not necessarily representative of those of the publishers, advertisers or sponsors

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A foetus has the right to become a human being - although it may eventually become a rapist.

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Good luck with that LETTERS

THIS is just a precursor to fully­fledged, no go zones for the police, which will mirror the goings on in ‘culturally rich’ Sweden.

Birmingham City Council’s website says that “Birmingham is one of the first ‘super diverse’ cities in the UK where citizens from ethnic minorities make up more than half the population.” The headline to the article is “Why Birmingham’s super ­ diversity is a strength, and not a surprise.”

We’ll see how that strength plays out.

Schengen

David

I read in your April 20­26 edition that the UK along with France are the big spenders in the Valencian region. I wonder if the authorities are aware that thanks to Brexit and the Schengen 90­day Agreement that they are missing out on even more UK income. Although I own property here I am now not coming over as much as I did and there are many more like me.

Manuel de Falla Villamartin.

Alan Morgan MD

Hello again

Do you think you could write something about this?

I have just read an article which has reduced me to tears of laughter, and it is serious. I tell you, 100 years down the line people are going to look back to now and very recent times as lunacy. Political correctness is like an Orwell novel, as is woke etc.

This article refers to ‘larger­bodied’ people and ‘people of size’. How bloody ridiculous. By normalising fat people, who are fat because they eat too much or do not exercise, we make life uncomfortable and more expensive and (health) less efficient for ‘normal­sized’ people.

Currently, it is always the norm, the majority, who have to suffer and subjugate themselves to the will of any minority.

The article is about Australia charging for two seats for a fat person. My opinion is that if that person can produce a valid medical certificate as to why they cannot reduce their weight, they should not be charged for two seats; otherwise, fair play ­ two or even three seats charged.

If these people were shamed, perhaps they would do something about it. Go back 100 years, were there so many huge people about? No!!! Mostly it’s nothing to do with a medical condition. It is eating too much and laziness.

I have struggled with weight during my life and, because it is ugly and unhealthy, I have always tried to diet, exercise and keep it down.

Nowadays we are forced to watch ex ­

tremely fat, mostly plain women, on our TVs in varying states of undress; in dramas or advertisements etc. It is unpleasant.

I agree with acceptance, of any person, but why do we have to aggrandise absolutely every deviation from the norm?

Once again, sorry for the rant.

Jane

PS. Oh, and don’t start me on this bullying rubbish!!

Help needed

Dear Sir

I have a problem that I hope you or your readers can help me with.

I am an 86­year­old woman and I travel quite a lot .

I am quite fit, I go bowling two or three times a week. I also work one day a week in a charity shop.

I have always had travel insurance whenever I go away.

Since Covid the travel companies will not insure a person of my age.

The one I usually use stops at 85 years.

I have tried other companies, some stop at an even earlier age.

I might add I have never had to make a claim with any company.

I hope you can help me. I do have the card which entitles me to emergency medical treatment in some countries.

I can’t be the only older person who likes to travel.

I am hoping you can help me .

Kind regards.

I believe

Gwendoline Ottley

I was very interested to read your column in EWN April 20­26 as I also believe “what you think is what you get.”

My bracelet is engraved with my motto ‘Think it, feel it, have it, be it’.

I followed the Law of Attraction for years then spent a long time studying a book on quantum physics. I was even compiling data to write a book about it all, then discovered that Pam Grout had already done one ­ E2that gives you nine experiments to prove your thoughts create your reality.

When I talk to friends about it and the way that I can do things “because I believe I can”, I do get some strange looks, so it was great when I learned that the 2022 Nobel Prize for Physics was awarded to the men who proved the key supposition of quantum theory: that local realism is fake.

Thanks again for sharing the information so clearly ­ I do hope others who read it will learn more and change their lives for the better.

Kind regards,

Tricia Gabbitas

PETS

Sitters care for pets at home

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If you’re planning a trip register now to find pet­sitters in time. Whether your trip is short or long, you’ll know that sometimes you must leave pets at home. Young and senior pets in particular benefit from staying at home, so they can follow their routines undisturbed. Join our pet and house sitting network, and the sitters come for free!

Choose Housesitmatch.com for affordable travel, home and pet care. These are the steps to take:

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4. Post an advert for the dates when you want to go

away. Sitters apply and you choose.

How does it work?

HouseSitMatch can help you find suitable sitters. Join our network for a small annual fee. You get ID checked for safety and then build your advert saying when you are going on holiday. House­sitters see your advert, they respond and you choose the sitter who’ll care for your pets.

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10 out of 10 for housesit match.com

I have had nothing but good and helpful service from the people who run this site, and my experience has been excellent. Tristram Cosgrave Dog and cat owner, Malaga How do you join?

Please register online via our website www.Housesitmatch. com.

Need a pet or housesitter? Get in touch. House-sitting can be a win-win for both parties, free house and petsitting, and the experienced and checked sitters get free accommodation! Register as either housesitter or homeowner with a 20% discount using coupon code 20EWN – Reader exclusive offer. To find a house pet-sitter go to www.HousesitMatch.com

Heads up for food

WE put lots of thought into the type of bed and accessories our pets use and we usually choose a cute dish for their food. Have you ever thought about where their water and food bowl should be, more specifically

at what height? Me neither but apparently it’s very important for the health of your dogs and cats. Placing their dish on the floor, as I imagine most people do, is something that veterinarians strongly advise against.

Placing their dish on the floor causes digestive problems because of the position of their digestive organs especially in larger breeds.

So, at what height should it be positioned? They recommend that their water and food bowls be positioned at shoulder height. This will help them digest food in a more natural way and avoids increased pressure on the neck, back, and paws. They then don’t have to eat in a forced position, this will help all dogs and cats but especially our older furry friends.

DID you know that ‘puppy parties’ are getting more and more popular with families opting to throw a party for their poodles on their birthday? If you would like to plan a pet party celebration but you don’t know where to start here are some tips.

You should take into consideration the size of your dog and the invitees when picking the location for the party, you wouldn’t want your living room overrun with greyhounds for example.

Take into account the personality of your pup, if he scares easily, a small gathering that won’t be too stressful is best.

Don’t forget the refreshments with plenty of fresh water on hand, doggy snacks, and a pupcake

of course. Don’t forget to check with the humans before giving out treats and don’t forget human snacks!

Party favours like frisbees and tennis balls are very popular along with

some party hats if you can get them to keep them on.

Don’t forget the dogthemed decoration and take lots of photos so you can turn it into an album to remember the day.

Paw-ty Time Grieving pets

WHEN a loved one passes away your pets may grieve this loss as well. Research shows that dogs and cats show signs of grief following the loss of a family member or even another companion animal. Your pet may begin to sleep in a spot where the deceased pet or person did.

Experts say you shouldn’t scold or discourage them from doing this. During this period your pet is not only suffering a personal loss but an upheaval in their daily routines and so they may act out. Cats tend to vocalise their emotions by me­

owing more and loudly.

Research has also shown that they will experience a loss of appetite and they may spend more time sleeping. Experts recommend taking them on long walks and hikes if they can manage it and you

should distract them with puzzle toys. The main thing is to be patient and kind to them as they process this loss. If their behaviour continues and you are worried then you should take them to the vet just in case.

HAPPY PUPDAY: Don’t forget a pupcake.

Your pets grieve too.

Talisker the cat keeps an eye on the pet-sitters at work.

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THIS year’s Eurocopa con‐sisted of 40 teams from nine different countries, including a mostly ladies team from Lithuania! The welcome, organisation and support from the host club and Eurocopa Team was first class, making it a tournament for everyone to remember.

Over 50s

Up against 20 other teams in their division, Malaga WFC Over 50s side overcame the oppo ‐sition over two days to win the coveted trophy. Their record of winning all of their Day 1 match ‐es, scoring 11 goals with only one against, put them in the driving seat for Day 2 as top seeds.

The support from many in the crowd, including their Over 60s clubmates roaring them on when not playing themselves, must have given them a fine lift.

However, Day 2 against the other top teams proved more difficult and they had to endure the hurdle of a 1

Bolton Nomads before

Malaga WFC win Eurocopa 2023!

wards the scorer!

It would be inappropri ‐ate to single out individual players, as this was a fan‐tastic overall team perfor‐mance by the entire squad. Naturally, cele ‐brations went on well in‐to the Albufeira night, a great achievement from one of our Costa teams!

Over 60s

gle point!

Before saying good ‐bye…

learning that they had earned enough points to take them into the semi‐finals against Sporting Li‐ons Bilbao. This turned out to be another tough game with plenty of at ‐tacking but also solid de ‐fending, with both teams failing to score, resulting in a penalty shoot‐out cli‐max, which Malaga won. And so into the final against their rivals from the earlier rounds, Bolton Nomads. Both teams at ‐tacked from the first

strong and any ef forts were either just off ‐target or well ‐ saved by the two excellent goalies. And so to yet another penalty shoot‐out!

All were successful ex ‐cept for one which was brilliantly saved by Mala‐ga’s goalie, who had had a magnificent tourna ‐ment. Thus, Malaga’s winning penalty was

The Over 60s Malaga WFC Team found the go ‐ing much tougher than their younger counter ‐parts and failed to win a game on Day 1. However, after a captain’s rallying team talk, they showed fantastic pride, commit ‐ment and application on Day 2, played with far more determination and creativity, and restored some pride by drawing all matches and scoring some decent goals, al ‐though they were unable

The standard of walk ‐ing football on display from all throughout the tournament, particularly in such boiling hot condi‐tions, was nothing short of incredible! Old friends were reacquainted and many new friendships forged between clubs. We trust that everyone got home safely and that perhaps more clubs from our region will be able to compete in the next Eu ‐rocopa tournament!

Meanwhile, else ‐where…

EWN Over 60s League

Nerja Utd 2 v 2 Walking Dead

The hosts took the lead early on with a well ‐worked goal but found themselves 1 ‐ 2 down by half time, goals from the

More creativity from both sides brought more chances in the second half but both goalkeepers were up to the challenge and made good saves. Just when it looked like the score would remain the same, Nerja were awarded a running of ‐fences penalty, which was duly dispatched, re ‐sulting in a fair and well ‐played 2‐2 draw.

Don’t forget…

…to access Facebook walkingfooty.com for more news concerning our sport!

No1 Tennis Player in the world is Carlos Alcaraz from Spain.

A great achievement!